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Some new peril may be lurking in the on behalf of your people? Even more iUnderdark and massacring dmportantly, I believe you may be right. row left andright. I don't want it to kill you as well.
I certainly wouldn't want the other nobl I hold you in too high an esteem, and es of Ched Nasad to think that I blithely sent you to your doom. They might infer th
at I have
even the most exalted officers of your splendid city little regard for , when of course, nothin
could be farther from the truth." g
"You honor me. Yet considering what's at stake—"
"Nothing is more important than your safety
. Anything could happen if you
attempt to traverse the tunnels at this unsettled time. You might not even makeit out of Bauthwaf. Why
, one of Menzoberranzan's own patrols, weary from toomuch duty
, imagining a dwarf crouched behind every stalagmite, might
mistake your band for a hostile force and
Y loose a volley of poison darts at you. ou might die an agonizing death at the hands of your own friends, in which
case I would never forgive myself."
A chill crept up Faeryl's spine, because she understood what Triel had reallsaid. The m y
atron mother had just forbidden her to leave the city, on pain of
death.
But why? What accounted for Matron Baenre'sidea until she happened to glance up at the draegloth' sudden hostility? Faeryl had no
s face. Somehow the halffiend'
T s leer suggested an explanation.riel had decided Faeryl was less diplomat than spy, an agent for some power
inimical to Menzoberranzan, who'd concocted this business of missing traders to
provide herself with a good excuse to leave the city and report to her superiors.
Richard Lee Byers
49
War Of The Spider Queen
Book 1
Dissolution
Matron Baenre couldn't allow it, couldn't permit a spy to pass along the tale of
Menzoberranzan's newfound weakness. She didn't dare, because it was enpossible that not all dark elf enclaves had suffered the sam tirely e calamif the ity, and even y had, perhaps the dwarves, duergar, deeWhat rem p gnomes, and illithids had not.ained unclear was why Tr heidea in her head, and what did that persiel believed as she did. Who had put ton have to gain by holding Faeryl in thecity?
Jaw tight, the emissary stifled the impulse to confront Triel about the latter's true concerns. She knew she wouldn't be able to draw the Baenre into angenuine consideration of the allegations against her. Taking a malicious pleasurein the play-acting, Triel would simply feign shock that Faerand good will. yl doubted her trust
Indeed, if Faeryl wanted to avoid further humiliation, all she could do was goalong with the pretense.
She smiled and said, "As I said before, Matron Mother, your concern honors me, and I will of course obey you. I'll remain in the City of Spiders and savor itsmany delights."
"Good," said Triel, and Faeryl imagined the words that remaW ined unspoken: e'll know where to find you when it's tim
"May I have your permission to withdrawe for your arrest.? I see there are mathe benefit of your wisdom." ny others seeking
"Go, with m
Faeryl of
y
fered her obeisance, exited th
blessing."
e hall, and walked through the great mound that was the Baenre citadel until she found herself alone and unobserved in a short connecting passageway. She took the rolled mathe charts she had imagined that she and T ps of the Underdark, riel might consult togetherbeneath her arm , from. Teeth bared in a snarl, she smashed them repeatedly against the wall until the stiff parchment cylinder flopped limp and battered in her hands.
and masters of Sorcere perform the rGromph and Quenthel strolled about the plateau watching the apprentices ituals. The sound of chanting and thepungent scent of incense filled the air
flashes of light, dancing shadows, demonic faces app, along with various conjured p
henomena:
earing and disappearing,
moaning and crackling. All to lay a new set of wards about Tier Breche.
Gromph was mildly impressed. By and larj ge, his minions were doing a good
ob
i of it, though they weren't laying any enchantments he couldn't pierce. In fact, s nce he was supervising them at their labors, getting past the wards would be
easy.
skirt rippling in the stray breeze "I wonder if all this will actually protect kicked up by someone'us," said Quenthel, scowling, her long s incantation.Gromph was surprised that even after Beradax's attack, she hadn't donned a suit
of mail. Perhaps she thought her frightened novices and priestesses required ashow of confidence.
"It didn't protect us before," hissed
comprising the whip on her belt. one of the annoyingly vocal snakes Four of them were twisting this way and that, watching for danger
. The fifth
Richard Lee Byers
50
War Of The Spider Queen
Book 1
Dissolution
kept its cold eyes staring at Gromph, not, the Archmage was convinced, because
his sister suspected him of trying to murder her. Or rather she did, but not
specifically. She simply had too many viable suspects. There were subordinates
who aspired to be Mistress of Arach-Tinilith, and the myriad foes of House Baenre. Perhaps it was even T
riel seeking to forestall the all but inevitable day when
Quenthel would challenge her for preeminence."Enchantments can attenuate with time," said Gromph, honestly enough.
"The new ones will be stronger. Strong enough, I trust, to keep you safe inArach-Tinilith."
"It isn't just the temple at risk," Quenthel snapped. "Next time, a demon
could attack Sorcere or Melee-Magthere."Don't count on it, Grom
"I' ph thought, but he said, "I understand."ve seen enough for now," said the mistress, her scowl deepening. "Don't
let your males slack off. I want the defenses complete before you leave to castyour spell into Narbondel."
"Consider it done."
Quenthel turned and walked back toward Arach-Tinilith. The primary
entrance to the imposing spider-shaped temple had become merely an oddlooking hole. The artisans hadn't yet finished repairing the crumpled
adamantine leaves of the gate. Gromph smiled to think how that must
his sister. Knowing her as he did, he was fairly certain the unfortunate annoy
me
Wtalworkers had already felt the weight of her displeasure.ell, perhaps they wouldn't have to bear it for much longer. He fingered a
small orname
Quenthel hadn'nt, a black stone clasped int asked about the trinket, a silver claw dangling over his heart. nor had Gromph expected her to. Healways wore his amulet of eternal youth and the brooch that helped him imbue
Narbondel with radiant warmth. Beyond those two staples, he tended to adorn
the Robes of the Archmage with a constantly changing array of charms and
talismans, depending on his whim and the particular magical tasks he expected
to perform that day. His sister had had no reason to suspect that this particulartrinket was of any particular significance, c
ertainly not to herself.
If she had noticed it at all, she probably assumed the stone was onyx, ebonyor jet. In actuality, it was polished ivory cut from a unicorn' ,
s horn after Gromph
slew the magical equine—sacred to the despicable elves of the World Above—
in a necrom
inside it only two hours before.antic rite. The orb was only black because of the entity he had placed "That was her
, " he murmured, too softly for any of the spell casters bustlinabout him to overhear g
Y . "Did you take her scent?"es, the demon answered, its silent voice like a nail scratching the inside
of
Gromph's head. Though it was unnecessary. I ma
that has never hindered m y not possess the power of sight, but e as I sought my prey.
"I was just maOf course. No one of your world has everking sure. Now, can you succeed where Beradax failed?" escaped m
e. Afterward, I will feast on
Quenthel's soul, one tiny morsel at a time. Most likely the netherspirit would do exactly that, and if it failed, G
romph had
six more waiting in line to pick up where it left off. Perhaps it wouldn't even come
to that. He had, after all, manipulated events in such a way as to inspire more
mundane assassins.
A third-year student came scurrying up with a stubby chalcedony wand in hish
and. Recalled to more immediate concerns, Gromph sighed and prepared to teach
Richard Lee Byers
51
